Wait for Me
by Miss Artemis
Summary: He thought she never looked more beautiful with the snow in her hair and her tears coating her eyelashes... Wait for me...


Wait for Me

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own InuYasha! He belongs to Rumiko Takahashi! Enjoy!

**SUMMARY:** He thought she never looked more beautiful with the snow decorating her hair and her tears coating her eyelashes. He stroked her cheek. "Wait for me…"

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She felt as if the world was dying…or more specifically: her world. Kagome sat on the edge of the Bone Eater's Well; her sapphire eyes filled with unshed tears that were still building with every moment. Her heart felt like it was breaking slowly, cracking gradually, spreading over her heart. Every breath she took made her shudder as painfully cold air entered her lungs and chilled her bones. Her plump lips were trembling terribly and were red from the cold and from her continuously and unconsciously biting her lower lip in frustration, anger, and bitterness. Her shoulders shook, her slender hands tightened on the snow-covered rim of the well. Long tendrils of black hair washed down her white-haori clad back and over the rim and into the black abyss that was slowly encouraging her to leap back into the time she was born to be in. Already she could feel the magic behind her and deep within the well begin to react. Midoriko had told her it would when she had made her wish and had been shocked afterward when the jewel, instead of disappearing, had been absorbed back into her body.

Kagome stared down at her red hakama-clad thighs and watched as her tears escaped from her bowed head to land on her thighs. Dark spots decorated her lap. The hot tears that didn't fall downward completely traveled down her cheeks, causing the wind to nip at them, making them feel raw. Her cheeks were rosy and her ears red. Her whole body trembled. A choked sob unwillingly escaped her before she could swallow it. Headache pounding, Kagome gave a small wail, leaning forward. Her hands let go of the well to cradle her head with her elbows nestled on her knees. Her fingers weaved through her bangs as she grasped her head almost painfully. Her toes curled and uncurled as they trembled within her wooden sandals that Kaede-baa-sama had given her when her old shoes before the final battle had been completely ruined.

Biting her lip, Kagome peered up to find everything still blurry as more tears, almost infinite, built up. The forest around her looked so gorgeous and ethereal. She didn't want to leave. The tall evergreens were heavily coated with snow, glistening as fat snowflakes lazily fell to the ground. The night sky looked illuminated despite of the time. The snow looked crystallized on the ground like sugar or white powder: inviting and soft. Kagome's hands cupped her chin in the old habit she had picked up from Miroku when he was thinking deeply. Her deep, dark eyes took in the snowflakes falling and felt an unwanted whine traveling up her throat. She didn't want to leave this place, her second home. During her time here she had grown attached and now that she had become addicted to this fairy tale like adventure…she didn't want to be parted with it. She wanted to stay, to talk with Sango, to slap Miroku when his hand continued to grope her. She wanted to play with Shippo and yell at InuYasha. She wanted to continue learning with Kaede-baa-sama and make fun of Myoga and his cowardly ways. She wanted to be embraced by Kouga again so she could yell at him and tell him that she was still not his woman. She wanted to hug and pick flowers with Rin or hit Jaken again with his own staff. She wanted…she wanted to be with Sesshomaru and feel whole again.

Closing her eyes, hot tears leaked from the corners of her closed eyelids before traveling down her cheeks before meeting each other underneath her chin. Her eyebrows knitted downward in anger. Her soul felt like it was being torn apart and there was no way she could keep it calm. Kikyo had given her the part of her soul she had been missing and yet it didn't feel at ease. She wanted to believe that her limited time here was a dream, that she would wake up within Kaede-baa-sama's hut and find that all of these emotions she was feeling and that this inevitable outcome had not come yet. She wished she could turn back the clock to four years ago when she had just turned fifteen and keep herself from falling into the well. Maybe if she could, maybe then she wouldn't have to feel this pain in her chest. But then again, she didn't want to if she could. If keeping herself from coming here would save her from these emotions, it would take away all of the good times she had experienced. She wouldn't experience being with InuYasha and falling in love for the first time; she wouldn't have known what true friendship was when she was with Sango; she would have never felt what it was like being groped like she had with Miroku; she wouldn't have known the love and feelings of being a mother like she had felt when with Shippo and Rin; she would have never learned what true love was like and being reciprocated with that love as she had found with Sesshomaru.

She could never do that to herself or to her friends. She would never turn in the good times. But this feeling, this yanking in the pit of her stomach was so excruciating! It hurt! She felt as if someone poisoned her and the poison was working through her body gradually, killing her slowly as it neared her heart. Clamping a hand over her mouth to keep in the sobs, Kagome bowed her head again. Her body wracked with unwanted sobs. Her gasps for breath quickened as she yearned for air, for her body to calm down. Memories of good and bad plagued her mind – all of them precious and dear to her. She would never be able to time travel again. She would never be able to bring back ramen or sweets for the children ever again. She would never be able to see her friends, the ones that have become her second family all together. She would never be able to pet Kirara or feed Ah-Un. She would never be able to take long walks through InuYasha's forest, enjoying the nature that was thriving the earth and not yet destroyed by humanity. She would never be able to breathe the fresh air of Sengoku Jidai. She would never go shard hunting or fight demons or cast her arrows again. She would never be able to love the one she loved for they would be five hundred years apart within around fifteen minutes. Midoriko had told her that the well would forcefully take her back to her original time when the new millennia began and that was midnight on New Year's Eve.

Glancing at her watch on her left wrist, Kagome idly wondered when or if Sesshomaru was going to arrive. She had so little time left. Her heart began to race wildly within her chest at the prospect of Sesshomaru not coming, not seeing her off. She wanted so badly to see him before she was gone forever. They might never be able to see each other again and she wanted another good look at him to engrave his image even more into her mind than it already was. She wanted to see him with his usual clothes and armor with his two contradicting swords. She wanted to feel his long silvery-white hair, look into his sun-kissed orbs and trace the markings on his face one more time. She wanted to feel his lips once more, to feel his large youkai hands in her own, and to feel him embrace her.

Her train of thought was broken off when she heard the muffled sounds of crunching footsteps against snow. Hope blossoming within her chest, Kagome slowly stood up from her sitting position on the lip of the well. Her body felt sore yet numb from sitting in that same position for three hours already. Snow slowly drifted from her shoulders and her hair gently. Her getas crunched the snow underneath her. Wrapping her arms around her upper torso, Kagome shivered. Her sad, doe-wide eyes looking hopefully down the path that led to the village. Every puff of breath appeared before her, crystallizing before disappearing within seconds. She swallowed.

"S…Sesshomaru…" She breathed happily, longingly.

Tears once again blurred her vision. Trying to clear her gaze so that she could take in every detail, Kagome wiped furious at her eyes with the seam of her white haori sleeve. The tears moistened her eyes still, but weren't overflowing. Sniffling slightly, Kagome took in the tall stature of her lover. His towering height was nothing more than a small speck in the distance before becoming larger as he continued his trek towards her. Long white tendrils floated around Sesshomaru with grace, almost as if they had a mind of their own. His heart shaped bangs swept mysteriously just before his ember-gold eyes that were pinned solely on her. His sharp eyes reflected the falling snowflakes and the trees that were surrounding them, as if trying to give them privacy from the world for this night alone. His black leather boots crunched the snow as he steadily made his way towards Kagome. His long, fluffy tail that was thrown over his shoulder drifted behind him, lightly trailing on the snow. His swords, Tokijin and Tenseiga, clattered softly against each other on his left hip within his gold and plum-colored sash. His matching white hakamas and white haori with the usual red-flower pattern on his left shoulder made him look like a snow angel, a winter figurine. She idly wondered why he had taken off his armor.

Her breath hitched up in her throat as she gazed at him. He was now only a foot away from her, his warmth already seeping through her clothes and into her skin. She cursed her tears yet again when they drifted down her cheeks unchecked. She couldn't bring herself to wipe them away. She was far too cold.

She gasped when feeling Sesshomaru's slightly calloused thumb gently wipe the tears from her cheeks. She gave him a heart broken, but loving smile as his fingertips never left her face. A gentle sigh left her, her eyes closing briefly as she enjoyed his light caresses that fleeted over her plump lips, her delicately curved nose, and her eyes. To her, it felt as if the normally cold Taiyoukai was trying to etch in every detail of her into his memory so he would never forget. Opening her eyes again, Kagome leaned into his hand when he cupped her right cheek.

"You're late." She whispered softly. The cold December wind whipped at them, ruffling their clothes and making their hair sway. She shivered, but gasped when warmth unexpectedly enveloped her from all sides, but more importantly from the front. She giggled lightly when feeling Sesshomaru pick her up from the snow, cradling her against him firmly yet gently. He was so warm and firm, his breath heavenly fanning her neck and her face as he nuzzled her nose and spoke in her ear. His deep, sensual baritone voice caused shivers to race down her spine.

"This Sesshomaru had to convince our pups to stay in the hut. You know how they are when it comes to their mother."

She loved it when he spoke of Rin and Shippo as their pups; it always warmed her heart that Sesshomaru saw Shippo as part of their family. She wouldn't have to worry about him after she departed, for he would be under Sesshomaru's care. And yet the ache in her chest became painful once again. She would never be able to see Rin or Shippo, maybe never again. The thought brought more tears to her eyes. She took in an unsteady breath, trying to calm down her emotions. She barely acknowledged the fact that Sesshomaru sat down on the edge of the well as she had, cradling her on his lap protectively, possessively.

Sesshomaru would never allow her to know just how angry and tortured he was inside. He knew that Kagome would only get further upset if she knew just how badly he was internally hurting at the thought of losing her. He would never tell her that his heart was slowly breaking as their limited minutes together began to whither away. Peering down at what was supposed to be his mate, Sesshomaru felt anger and bitterness swell within him. They were supposed to be together. Tonight should have been their mating night for he had promised after the demise of Naraku that he would take her and their pups back to the Kingdom of the Western Lands where he would make her his for eternity. And now they couldn't for the jewel once again was breaking peoples' happiness. He wanted her to stay here. _This_ is where she belonged, not in the future. He had hoped that they would reach her time together with many pups to show to her family proudly. He had hoped that they would be able to live happily together for the five hundred years before meeting her family, experiencing history together. He had hoped that together they would overcome obstacles and adjust together. But his wishes and dreams were being torn from him with every passing second as the new millennia began to drift closer forebodingly.

Unconsciously, Sesshomaru began to growl and purr softly into Kagome's lightly red ear. The inner beast felt its intended's distress and began to try its best to limit her tears. But as Sesshomaru peered down at Kagome's face, he couldn't help but to find her beautiful with the snowflakes decorating her hair and her tears glistening her eyelashes. Tenderly, Sesshomaru grasped her chin, his heart lurching all the while. Right now he wanted nothing more than to melt InuYasha's forest with his poison and to kill thousands of demons with Tokijin or maybe his poison whip. He wanted to damn the Gods for taking away the one person he loved, would allow himself to love unconditionally. He knew there was no other in the world for him. There was no one in this wretched world that was as unprejudiced as Kagome was. She was beautiful, intelligent, cunning, mischievous, loving, caring, playful, and firm. She was fair and didn't judge people on looks alone. She was perfect for him and he was being denied of her. It made him so angry.

But his fury is denied at this moment for Kagome; she needed him now more than ever. He knew how sad she was, how bitter she was for leaving. She didn't want to leave, but she had no choice. The choice for her to stay or leave had always been out of her grasp. The fact that the moment had come and she was being forced to leave had been reality cruelly setting itself back in place. Life was never fair. Their love for each other was being denied at this point, but as he stared into Kagome's tear-filled eyes…he knew that there would be another chance…they would both just have to wait.

Making sure that Kagome was staring at him, Sesshomaru brought her closer. His cold heart was abnormally tender…only for her.

Stroking her chin and tightening his grip, almost painfully, around her waist, Sesshomaru whispered against her slightly parted lips:

"Wait for me."

Unable to look into her eyes any longer, not without losing control, Sesshomaru slammed his lips against her own relentlessly. He vaguely felt her small hands grip the front of his haori, clinging tightly as she eagerly responded to his kiss. Their lips were feverish against each other. An unbelievably hot feeling raced through them. It uncontrollably warmed their blood and made their hearts race. Heatedly, yet unhurriedly they pressed and caressed each other's lips against the other. Sesshomaru gave an approved growl as Kagome parted her lips, her sad gasping filling the air momentarily as he slipped his tongue between luscious lips. Her scent filled his senses; the sweet tang of _her_, of wild honeysuckle and Hawaiian flowers on his tongue.

Kagome felt herself gasping and crying at the same time as she pressed herself heatedly against Sesshomaru's taunt and chiseled form. Her trembling and cold hands trailed over his warm neck before grasping his magnificently white head and pulling him even closer if possible. Their tongues fought for dominance as they caressed each other lovingly, reassuringly. It was if they were silently telling each other that it was okay, that nothing would permanently separate them. She moaned deep in her throat when Sesshomaru thoroughly traced over her hot cavern. She shivered when feeling his dangerous claws rub her outside hip sensually. His hand never left her face as he tilted her head for better invasion.

They separated momentarily, gasping for breath. In between gasping and sighing, Kagome continued to press small kisses on his lips, her hands still holding his head incredibly close to her. She took in a shaky breath when feeling Sesshomaru press her possessively into his chest. Tears unwanted escaped her eyes as everything came crashing down on her. She wouldn't be able to feel him like this anymore…if he ever survived to her time. Just thinking about the possibility that he won't makes her want to cry even harder. Her heart continued to break and her mind couldn't seem to let go of the past.

"I…" She managed out when Sesshomaru slashed his lips over hers once again. When parting once again from the delicious kiss, the one that made her feel alive and ready to fly, she whispered, "I love you…" She pressed a sweet, chaste kiss on his parted lips. Her fingertips caressed the sides of his face and traced gently over his sensitive ears. She couldn't repress the trembling giggle when Sesshomaru gave off a purr at the feeling.

"I'll always love you, Sesshomaru." She stared into his ember eyes, taking in his racing emotions, ones that he only allowed her to see. He didn't reply, but she could see it, like a raging inferno that could never be quenched or stomped out. It was there, burning bright and all consuming. He loved her. Plain and simple. _I love you_.

"Time's almost up," she whispered, her features desperate and filled with sorrow. There was only two minutes left before she was permanently gone from this world and temporarily out of his. Kagome laced her left hand's fingers through his right one and squeezed his hand, trying to be reassuring and failing miserably.

She gripped him tightly when feeling him slowly stand up. Her eyes never left him, her right arm wrapped around his shoulders and her left hand in his right. She felt like screaming and crying even harder when he forcefully had to make himself place her on the edge of the Bone Eater's Well. His left hand gripped his hip as he squeezed her hand back, lending her strength.

"Don't forget about me," she begged, even though it wasn't necessary. He couldn't ever forget her, not even if he tried. She in her most peculiar of ways had engrained herself into his mind and his ice-hard heart forever.

"Wait for me…" He whispered again with a slightly harder edge to it. He was almost pleadingly, but even she knew that he would never outright plead or beg to anyone, only persist. She nodded, hiccupping.

"I'll always wait."

Half a minute left. Tick…Tock…Tick…Tock…

It was then that she felt it, a hard pull in the center of her chest. Kagome released a pain gasp at the feeling. Both miko and Taiyoukai looked down to find the Bone Eater's Well glowing a mystical light blue, shimmering amongst the snow.

Ten seconds left…

"I'll wait for you…forever." She pressed her lips lovingly against his. She was barely able to feel his own lips press against hers when the well pulsed. Whimpering, Kagome hesitantly took a step backwards…and fell into the abyss. Her fingertips brushed along Sesshomaru's slightly rough palm.

Two hearts broke as she disappeared into the future five hundred years away.

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Nine years later  
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She had never felt so uncomfortable as she did now.

Higurashi Kagome was currently standing in an extravagant and deliciously designed ballroom. The floor was made of pure-white marble with tiny wisps of gray woven within. The ceiling was distinguishing with an overly large and breathtaking chandelier that was lit aglow with actual candles than electricity. The raven-haired woman hoped that no wax would drip on her new dress. Large bay windows littered each side of the ballroom on the east and west sides. Two long buffet tables were placed on either side and each sported a gorgeous ice sculpture of twin swans with their wings wide-spread.

The party was a black-tie party, meaning everyone was in lavishly dressed in gowns and handsome tuxes. The host was American, thus the music was of a small band of violins, clarinets, and whimsical flutes for an 18th century feel.

Being a well-known and respected archeologist and historian at Tokyo's most prestigious museum at the ripe age of 28, Kagome had been rather forced by her over eccentric boss to accept the invitation with a fellow (and a rather annoying) colleague: Hojo. Sapphire eyes rolled skyward to the lovely mural painted on the hemispherical ceiling. Tiny angels, most of them small children, no older than two, were playing in the clouds. She had thought that the young man would have gotten the hint that she had absolutely no interest in him after all of the blind dates she had set him up for. Of course, he never knew that it was her that had been setting him up…wait…maybe that was the reason? Either way, the man, though kind and sincere, was overly annoying with his immature-ish ways in trying to bust a move on her in and out of work.

Already he was dragging her away from her lovely (and lonely, she would admit) corner in the room, lightly sipping from her champagne glass that she would bet was more valuable than her whole wardrobe (which was saying a lot) to talk to another famously known individual within the community. If Kagome could, she would throw a temper tantrum. She hated these parties. Hey, she didn't mind the free food or the dancing too much, or that she was able to pretty herself up every once and a while, but…it was just so _boring_ after being to more than twenty of them in five different countries.

She had been to seminars giving lectures and lessons to the private schools that had managed to set up a fund to buy her plane ticket and hotel room and she didn't mind that. She actually loved going to give lectures to different students at different universities and in different countries. Why else would she put forth most of her money in getting Foreign Language classes? She had been to Germany, America, France, Malaysia, and Scotland…and all of the following ballroom parties that have been requested of her were the same: boring waltzes with boring old, traditional music and the same old conversations: oh, so when did you make your sixth billion mark? But not her, of course. She had around a measly two million, diddlysquat compared to the billionaire hotshots that she mingled with.

Kagome idly wondered what was wrong with some modern music and dressing for a "getting-down-and-dirty" kind of dancing? Maybe she needed a good club-hopping excursion like her three girl friends: Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka were lecturing to her not more than a week ago. She had the golden opportunity too to join them at the city's newest and rumored to be hottest nightclub three days ago. What did she tell them? Oh yeah.

"_Sorry, girls. I can't. I have this digging site at the north-side country that night."_

Kagome snorted under her breath, obliviously ignoring Hojo's puzzled look sent her way as he continued to gently tug her through the dance floor and around twirling couples and associates. Pft. As if digging up the old burial site of a fourteenth century feudal lord that had been lost to time since the sudden disappearance seven centuries ago was enough for her to ditch club-hopping.

Yes, Kagome had her priorities straight.

Swallowing more of the light yellow alcohol within her glass, Kagome suddenly wondered when she had become so cynical. Oh yeah, she thought to herself sourly, when I was sent back to this time without a choice in the matter. Mood darkening dangerously, Kagome found that she couldn't bring herself to listen to Hojo trying to impress her in front of some of the most famous historians and archeologists in the world. This party held people who had made great discoveries through the past twenty to thirty years from all over the world. The different tongues people were speaking were rather intriguing, but were giving her a headache. When she saw Hojo steering her towards a man that appeared to be in his late forties and by his accent, Kagome could tell that he was French.

She came to an abrupt stop. Her black, elegant strapless gown that melded to her body swayed around her with the movements. Her bangs that had been pinned to the side of her face were released and fell intoxicatingly across her forehead and ending just above her sapphire eyes. Her bun in the back of her head bobbed slightly. Anger coursed through her, as well as frustration. She was sick of this, sick of her life. She was sick of having to deal with Hojo, especially now as he's looking at her with his pathetically hurt look. Normally, she would feel guilty, but this night of all nights for a party for her to be invited to, on New Year's Eve, was just too much to bear with some man trying to please her since they were in high school.

"Kagome? Is something wrong? You're not hurt are you?" Hojo asked worriedly with concern. His handsome, boyish features outlined by the candle lit chandelier above them. His indigo eyes, not golden as she wished, were focused on her. His short auburn cropped hair, not long and white, as she wanted, gleamed. His tan hand, not white as snow nor as soft and caring, grasped her hand. Chest heaving as she tried not to scream at him in frustration and annoyance, Kagome gritted out,

"No, Hojo, I'm not hurt. I…I just don't feel well."

She almost strangled the poor man when he began to have a fuss on the dancing floor right then and there. People eyed at them distastefully as they weaved around them. Kagome felt ready to kill all of the disguised youkai in the room. She had never felt so moody or old or hurt. She felt like she was centuries years old. She wanted nothing more than to just go back to her lonely apartment and drink her sorrows away like she had done for the past nine years since that day.

"Listen," Kagome cut Hojo off, ignoring his hurt look, "I have a headache. I just…I just need time for myself, okay? I'll see you later, Hojo."

Without looking back, Kagome weaved expertly amongst the waltzing couples, dates, and associates, old-time friends with her heart lurching all the while. She felt out of place, so terribly out of place at the moment. She felt cold without her black wool, knee-length coat and her leather gloves. Her heart felt cold and alone, still shattered after all this time. Kagome cursed her emotions once again when feeling the nerve-wracking tears prickle behind her eyes. Her head began to pound as she struggled not to cry. When reaching the buffet table, Kagome placed her champagne glass on the white tablecloth and headed towards the balcony behind one of the large bay windows. Two handsomely dressed guards bowed before her respectively, opening the glass doors for her. Graciously thanking them, Kagome didn't take in their appearance, not even looked up at them, and instead walked as quickly as she could to the railing of the hemispherical balcony as fast as she could.

She faintly heard the soft click of the doors closing and sighed in gratitude for a moment of peace. She missed the fact that the doors had been opened a little too long before closing, or the fact that suddenly, all of the bay windows inside were being closed off by handsome wine curtains. She didn't see the two servants look back at her, their dark eyes twinkling as both familiar wolf youkai, Ginta and Hakkaku nod to the man they let passed.

Leaning forward on the stone railing, Kagome gave a heart broken sigh. Her body trembled as she tried not to sob. If she did, she wouldn't be able to stop herself. Why couldn't the pain lessen? Why did it feel so horrible, just as it did back then? Was it because she hadn't seen Sesshomaru yet? Was it because she knew that he didn't survive through the years to make it to this point in time? Would the ache in her chest ever lessen? She wanted to fall down and cry, to fall to pieces like she did every time at this time of year. She wished she was back home where she could lie in her comfy bed and hug Buyo to her chest and cry into his fur, pretending during that time that it was _his _tail rather than Buyo. She wished she wasn't so pathetic as to be this way, but she couldn't help it. She had waited and waited for almost a decade now and she knew…she knew…she would wait even longer if she had to. Kagome knew that her body yearned for a man's touch, to be held and cherished. She yearned to be kissed and caressed. She wanted to feel complete again like those many years ago. But again…she knew that the only one that could make her feel this way was somewhere she didn't know. He could be dead and she wouldn't have known, or he could be in this very city and never know it.

It was killing her.

Biting her lip to keep a sob from coming out, Kagome wrapped her arms around her upper torso to keep the chill away. She furiously rubbed her hands up and down her upper shoulders. The snow, small and pristine, fell fast to the earth from above, the fierce wind helping it along. She knew that she needed to go back inside or risk getting hypothermia or pneumonia…but she needed this. She needed to feel numb. Unshed tears built up in her eyes. Her shoulders shook, her chest heaved as she tried to control herself.

That was until she felt a familiar aura not more than ten feet behind her.

Stopping completely, Kagome straightened her posture. Eyes wide and disbelieving, Kagome stared outward before her, the snow still falling on her and the wind ruffling her hair and her clothes. The garden before her, exquisite and looking every bit as a winter wonderland was unseeing as she focused on the aura behind her. The intensity of the aura was very powerful, almost eye-blinding with its raw power. It was gold and bright, overpowering. It was hot and soothing. The familiarity of it caused her breath to quicken and her heart to beat so fast that she could practically hear it in the silence around her. Slowly, almost frighteningly, Kagome turned around to face the figure behind her and gasped. Her hands left her arms and clamped themselves over her mouth in shock. Her eyes grew impossibly wider as she took in the 6'4 man before her, the man she had been yearning to see…to touch…for nine years.

His hair was shorter, not as long to his knees as it used to be, but long enough to reach just below his bottom, which she felt disappointed because she knew that in that particular tux his bottom would look marvelous. The black tuxedo outlined the man's figure perfectly, accentuating his long powerful legs before stopping at gleaming pairs of black polished shoes. A bow tie was sexily placed around his neck, as was accustomed for parties for a formal black-tie. Piercing golden eyes never left hers. She almost laughed with joyful tears when seeing his fluffy white tail wrapped around his left shoulder, trailing down before stopping before the floor.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Kagome took a tentative stop forward, "S…Sesshomaru?"

Happiness and disbelief, joy and awe filling her, Kagome broke out into a sprint as she hurled herself at the tall Taiyoukai, whom gladly met her half way, embracing her tightly to his chiseled body. His face, to many, would have looked stoic and unfeeling, but as Kagome found herself hoisted up into the air, she felt with her fingertips that were caressing his face feverishly, the tilting of his lips in his own rare smile. The tears she had cursed before were happily coursing down her face.

"Oh my God! It's you! It's…it's really you!" She laughed happily. She grasped his head between her slender hands and leaned down, smiling gently as he "calmly" brushed away her tears. She took note of the possessive way he held her painfully yet oh-so deliciously close to him. She also took note of how his hand had trembled ever the slightest when wiping her tears away. He hadn't exclaimed happily or confessed at how happy he was to see her, but she knew. Through his actions of forcefully being gentle with her, of forcefully keeping himself in check…with that smile alone…she knew how happy he was to finally be near her…to touch her…to smell her.

"You're here…" Kagome breathed out in almost disbelief. Her wide, wondering eyes never leaving his smug, prideful golden orbs. He smirked at her and chuckled lightly. The creamy sound of it alone made her knees weak. She was suddenly very grateful for him picking her up and holding her so tightly.

"And you have waited…" He murmured back softly. His sensual voice causing goose bumps to race like crazy over her skin.

"I just…" Kagome paused in delight, taking pleasure in feeling him caress her back and rub her hip, the same hip he had rubbed those five hundred years ago for him.

"I just…I almost can't believe this…"

She saw understanding flash through his golden orbs and smiled when he lowered her a few inches so that they were face to face. His warm breath washed over her face and she couldn't help but close her eyes in ecstasy. The fact that he was in front of her and that his scent, almost forgotten, was now surrounding her was enough to make her the happiest woman alive. She opened her eyes when he caressed her cheek. A sense of thrill raced up and down her spine when finding nothing more than a few hair's breath away. Her sensitive body trembled as he spoke against her lips, brushing against them teasingly with every word. She almost considered hitting him upside the head when seeing that he had indeed noticed how sensitive she was to his proximity and knew just what he was doing to her at this moment.

"This is real, my Kagome. This Sesshomaru is before you now and will forever be. The centuries getting here have been lonely and now, my miko, we are here together again on the night that took us apart. I will never leave you…"

Tears of joy cascaded down her cheeks slowly. Keeping her hands on the sides of his head, Kagome whispered softly,

"And I will never leave you, Sesshomaru. And I will always wait if we are…"

"As I would for you, my Kagome…"

Back in the ballroom, the enormous grandfather clock began to chime loudly throughout the large estate twelve times. Kagome pressed her lips heatedly against Sesshomaru's lips with a loving smile. Hands grasped and held tight, almost anchoring each other to themselves as their mouths pressed firmly together. Lips, tongues, and teeth clashed and fought for dominance as the people within the ballroom began to cheer and clap at the beginning of the New Year, a year of love…of possibilities…of new hopes.

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_Have a very happy 2008 everyone! Cheers to a new year! _

-Miss Artemis

P.S. – Sorry if it felt rushed a little; I have been trying to find a good oneshot for this New Year's Eve and I finally got it into my head at around eight. I wanted to try and get this before midnight. TTFN!

As for my readers for "A Heart's Strangled Cry," I haven't given up on it. I'm just trying to get some inspiration. I'm having issues with inspiration right now.


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